Tender Words
by GranthamGal
Summary: Follow-up to "I'll Make The Most Of Loving You." Several months after returning to Downton, Cora is busy planning a Valentine surprise for her husband, who has grown increasingly suspicious of her secretive behavior. Part of the "Be My (Cobert) Valentine" Exchange. Prompt word: secrets.
1. Chapter 1

Robert paced the library.

It was a habit picked up from childhood, something his mother often did when in a state of angst. He looked around at the freshly dusted novels lining the walls, their deep red leather covers and worn-yellow pages all a comforting reminder of the familiar place he found himself in. Light shone through the windows, a reminder of the unusually bright afternoon weather, and glistened through the freshly washed glass. The library was otherwise silent, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards under his pacing feet.

He was not sure exactly what brought on this particular bout of unease, though it had plagued him with near-constant regularity over the last month or so. His mind, it seemed, was doomed to silent chaos as he and the rest of the family set about the task of moving forward. When he returned, returned to find his wife already back at Downton, he thought his life had been made. But then for no discernable reason other than the cruel twists and fortunes of life, tragedy struck once more and left him with a grieving daughter, a baby for an heir, and a family once more submerged in grief.

The dull grey mist that clouded his mind threatened to drive him mad, his thoughts were so unclear. If only he could make sense of it all, then perhaps they really all could move forward. But what had once been so certain now hung in the balance of fate—a most unwelcome prospect for Robert, whose fate was still on precarious footing.

The month had not started on a particularly bad note, considering. Baby George, only two months old, often woke everyone in the house with alarmingly strong cries, but his nanny seemed adept at calming the poor little chap. And Mary, well, she seemed less fragile, her expression vacillating between blank and something almost like a readable emotion. He and Cora, though—they had seemed better. Or so he thought. But then February arrived and as the days slipped past she grew quieter, her expressions—like Mary's—unreadable. She still made polite conversation over dinner, seemed willing to stroll occasionally with him in the gardens, and let him hold her at night before they slept, often letting him do much more than simply hold her before sleep claimed them.

But she had grown quiet and it frightened him.

Flashes of months earlier, of them silently pacing the halls, not speaking but wanting to scream, bubbled up like angry, burning bile. He would catch her eyeing him in the afternoons, a passive smile drawn over her lips. He wanted to drop to his knees and simply beg her to unburden herself, to trust that he could take care of it all. He would do anything to keep her happy, to keep her at Downton by his side.

But she insisted nothing was wrong.

When she began spending her afternoons upstairs instead of ensconced in the library by his side, she said she was tired. When she bypassed their walks in favor of going to see George, or speak to Mrs. Hughes, she explained how busy her days were. And at night, late, when he would whisper quiet endearments against her skin and ask her if she was alright, she would simply turn and cover his lips with hers, in the way she always did when she sought to distract him.

But he was tired of being distracted.

And so, with the slam of a door, Robert marched up the stairs and toward the bedroom, rapping sharply on the door when, upon turning the handle, he found it locked.

* * *

><p>Cora was startled out of her reverie by a loud knock against the bedroom door. Frowning, as she was quite certain she told Baxter she was to be left in peace, she called out "yes?" before continuing the task before her.<p>

The room was covered in shades of red. Swatches of silks and tulles, all terribly expensive and imported from Paris, were draped over the chaise and laid out neatly on their bed. Bits of paper dyed a delicate shade of rose were scattered about near her feet where she sat cross-legged on the floor. None of this would have mattered, though, if not for the voice that was decidedly more masculine calling to her through the door.

"_Cora—why is the door locked?"_ Robert repeated, his voice low and muffled.

Standing up, haphazardly kicking all the paraphernalia under the bed, Cora replied with a non-committal hum and reached the door a moment later, unlocking and opening it just enough to peer out at her husband, whose face was contorted into a rather oddly unreadable expression.

"Yes?" She asked softly, raising her brows.

He frowned, looking rather uncomfortable to be hunched in the doorway, and nodded over her shoulder, "might we speak inside?"

Cora shook her head. "Darling, I was taking a nap," she explained, rolling her shoulders back into a stretch for effect. "Can it wait until later?"

She hated lying to him, especially when she knew how he was as of late. Ever since their return from Newport, their relationship in the precarious stages of reconciliation, Robert had been on his very best behavior. He had done absolutely everything she asked of him without question. Apologies were given freely to his children, mother and sister. He set about hiring back the staff that had been dismissed and made sure everything was in working order. The drinks cabinet—that once would have been a sore point—remained largely untouched by him, without even a request from her—and he tried each and every day to fulfill the promises he made to her. The last of which included a trip to Liverpool and a rather long conversation with their son in law, the result of which added two members to their household and another fragile relationship to the mix. Robert was never going to be Tom's biggest supporter, but with Matthew gone he seemed to provide her husband with a strange sort of support. And she was ever so grateful for that and for her Robert, who really had returned to the man she loved.

But abusing his incessantly good nature, even for good reason, stirred up a bit of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She knew, no matter what she asked or told him, that he would agree and would do so with a cloyingly sweet smile that attempted to cover his bafflement or annoyance that he tried so hard to push deep down inside him and shield her from. She admired his restraint at times, but often wished for a bit of his boyish stubbornness to shine through, to prove to her that he was not simply placating her, and that they really were back to the way things once were.

He interrupted her thoughts with a soft sigh, and the hum of a clearing throat, and nodded. "I'll see you after the gong, then," he answered, turning too quickly for her to reach out and press a kiss to his cheek.

"Alright," She answered, in a brighter tone, and watched as he continued down the hall and disappeared down the stairs.

As soon as she was quite sure he wouldn't return, Cora shut the door once more and turned the lock, settling back down at her place on the floor. A rough outline of a valentine lay before her, the heart only just cut from the paper sent up from London. It was still in its early stages, but it was at least a discernable heart. It had taken three tries and a rather inconvenient paper cut, but nevertheless it was a work in progress.

She wanted their Valentine's Day to be lovely. It stirred up memories from years long past, when they were too young to know quite what to say and so instead roamed the halls, wanting to say anything and everything but instead settled for blushes and meaningful looks. It reminded her of youthful infatuation, of the desire for her husband that she held closest to her heart—desire for the man who claimed her heart so many years ago. Cora knew that the house had been rather steeped in gloom—befitting the tragedy that was so terribly senseless and painful. But that was the nature of tragedies, she supposed, and they all needed to move forward and pick up the pieces together.

Valentine's Day seemed a rather good place to begin.

It had never been their favorite holiday, not at all. Cora preferred celebrating the New Year and Robert would be hard pressed to name anything he loved more than Christmas dinner with his family. But they celebrated St. Valentine's Day dutifully each year, with smirks and gifts passed and kisses stolen, just as they liked. She wanted this year to be extra special, though, to remind them both of what they had together, of how precious their love truly was.

So she had devised a plan. Telling Mary and Tom about her intentions seemed unnecessarily cruel, as the hint of anything romantic darkened their eyes, and so each afternoon Cora would remove herself from the busyness of the house and seek out the solace of her bedroom, scribbling little notes and making small preparations each day, hoping that Robert would be too engrossed in estate business to notice her absence.

At first it hadn't been a problem. Surreptitiously sending Baxter to order samples of fabrics for new gowns and nightdresses had been easy, as had stowing the boxes in her wardrobe. Robert cared little for fashion and had seen enough dress boxes in the house to know not to question the contents, lest he be treated to an impromptu fashion display. But then the pamphlets began coming in from London, all advertising romantic getaways in far off places like Vevey and Rome, and those were harder to keep hidden. Though she had elected instead to use the recently vacant Eryholme as the site of her grand surprise, as opposed to one of the more exotic localities, it had still grown increasingly difficult to keep it all a secret from her husband.

She was nearly caught after instructing Carson to send two footmen and two maids up to the house to give it a thorough cleaning one quiet Saturday afternoon. Soon after they were dispatched, though, Robert thought it a good idea to have the furniture in the library moved around. He was more than slightly perturbed when Carson explained—with an uncomfortable frown—that the staff simply could not do it that afternoon. And then two weeks later, when discussing what foods she wanted sent up to the house with them with Mrs. Patmore, Robert—rather like an apparition—appeared in the kitchens, with Isis in tow. Apparently Isis had gotten too vigorous with a rabbit on her walk and Robert had decided to bring it to the kitchens himself. Her own presence in the kitchen was explained away easily enough, but she could tell by the tightening of his brow that he doubted he was being told the whole truth.

He asked her several times if she was alright, and each time she promised that she was, attempting to distract him with any means possible—usually a rather easy task. But she could tell he was growing restless, and it only increased the fervor with which she hid away any trace of her Valentine surprise.

* * *

><p>After a subdued dinner, once more, Robert paced.<p>

This time it was the carpets in his dressing room treated to the privilege, though, and his quick methodical steps made a soothingly rhythmic brushing each time he walked back and forth between the window and the dressing table.

He knew it was ridiculous to cogitate on such a bizarrely minuscule detail, but in that moment—and in the moments spanning much of his afternoon—it did not feel minuscule at all. He felt now, more than ever, that a conversation with his wife was of the utmost importance. They had moved swiftly from cordiality to her locking doors and spending afternoons alone? It made little sense, other than to scare the wits out of him. And he refused to let it go on any longer.

Mimicking his gesture from earlier in the day, Robert knocked on the solid wooden door that separated his dressing room and their bedroom. At Cora's _"Robert?" _he opened the door and let himself into the room.

She was already perched up upon the bed, a vision in white as she rubbed lotion into her palms. She looked up at him curiously, cocked her head to one side, and repeated, "Robert?"

"Yes?" He took another step into the room and placed both his hands against the back of the nearest chair, steadying himself.

She frowned again though, and placed the bottle down into her lap before answering, "I meant it rhetorically, darling. But, is anything wrong? You look rather glum."

"No—well, no. That is to say, I wondered if we might discuss a few things?"

He fidgeted again and stared at the bit of patterned rug nearest to his slipper. Then, taking a breath to shore himself up, returned his gaze to his wife who looked expectantly at him.

"Cora, I wonder if anything is the matter between us? I know I've asked, and you've said no, but I cannot help but think that perhaps something is. Especially after this afternoon, when you opened the bedroom door, I saw—"

Interrupting his drawn out question, Cora sat more upright and fixed her gaze back up and away from her lotion. "—Saw? What did you see?" She asked, now fidgeting slightly beneath the blankets as well.

Robert frowned and cleared his throat, confused by her tone.

"I only thought I saw something in your expression, that you might be upset with me," he explained, edging a bit closer to the bed, a concerned look painted over his features.

At this, Cora smiled and released a short exhale of relief. She could handle most any of her husband's moods, and most certainly could navigate even the worst of him, but he was utterly insufferable when he caught on to anything that was supposed to be a surprise. He fancied himself a detective at times—though if she were honest with herself she knew he would make quite a poor one—and nearly every year he sussed out his surprise birthday plans and holiday gifts before they were due. She was not about to let their Valentine's Day fall prey to his curiosity as well. Though she was not entirely sure if she was glad that he was simply—yet again—worried about whether or not she was upset with him.

"Darling," Cora paused, attempting to soften her voice. "Come sit?" She patted the place beside her, his place, and waited until he padded over and sat on the very edge. "Perhaps a bit closer?" She smiled at him, in the way she knew was always his undoing, and reached one hand over to adjust the lopsided collar of his pajama top.

Again, he frowned. And, quite like a little boy, pouted for a moment before replying "no, I don't think that I want to until we've discussed this properly."

"Haven't we, darling?" Cora replied gently, scooting closer and slipping fingers just below the fabric to ghost over his shoulder. He turned away from her but she could feel his resolve slipping in the way his muscles relaxed under her touch.

Kneading her fingers over the muscles corded across his back, massaging the skin lightly through his shirt, she only smiled to herself at his non-committal grunt, pleased that she seemed to have distracted him once more. And when he tried to interject, answering finally, "but, Cora…" she only pressed feather light kisses to his neck and just below his ear, pressing herself close against his back.

"There is nothing to worry about, my dear," she whispered, placing another kiss on the back of his neck as her fingers moved up and threaded through his hair, rubbing his scalp lightly. He hummed again, this time considerably less agitated, and leaned back into her touch.

"Now," she continued, "might we worry about more pressing matters?" And, playing on her own words, let her hands fall lazily down the front of his nightshirt until they found the drawstring of his trousers, feathering lightly over the fabric there.

"Cora—" Robert started, interrupting himself with his own groan, "—no," he managed after a brief pause, forcing his head up from the lolled state it'd fallen into.

"No?" Her voice was soft but had an air of incredulity to it. She removed her hands almost immediately, setting herself backward to rest on the mattress once more. "Robert, what on Earth?" she asked, now more than slightly perturbed.

He frowned, though, turning himself and ignoring the still rampant feeling of arousal coursing through his body. "_Weak old fool," _he thought bitterly, adjusting his pajamas before taking a breath and facing his wife. "I won't be distracted from the matter at hand again, Cora."

She raised a brow. "Robert, I think we're far past distracted from the matter at hand," she answered, flicking her eyes down to his prominent arousal.

"No!" He answered more sharply, this time standing from the bed. "Cora, I won't continue like this."

"Like what?" She was breathlessly exasperated, staring at him with a mix of wonder and utter confusion.

"You're upset with me and I won't have things go back to…" he paused again, not wanting to verbalize what he wanted so very badly to be part of their past. "…I'll have you tell me what is bothering you, please."

"Robert," Cora answered softly, crawling across the bed until she knelt on his side, nearly face to face with him. "Nothing is bothering me. Come to bed. Please?"

"I'm not tired," he replied softly with defeat. "I—I think I'll go down to the library for a nightcap." And at this he stepped backward, out of her reach. At her just perceptible nod, he turned fully, and walked out their bedroom door without another word.

Cora waited until he was gone, and the door shut, to flop backward onto the pillows. She was silent for a long moment before letting out a chuckle. "_Men," _she exclaimed, rolling her eyes and settling in for bed, thoughts of what she needed to do tomorrow with regard to their Valentine surprise already floating about her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

The knock on his dressing room door did little to soothe the pounding headache that already plagued him. The nightcap in the library had not had exactly the desired effect, though that could likely be ascribed to the fact that one nightcap had become four as he'd turned over the conversation with Cora in his mind. By the time the fourth drink had settled in his stomach, he was lucky to have even made it back to his dressing room; a headache, he supposed, was just his penance.

When he did not answer and instead rolled over, bringing the nearest pillow over his head, he was rather surprised to hear the knocking pause and the door click open instead. Bates never entered without his permission. And when he heard three short steps followed by the unmistakable weight of someone sitting at the edge of the bed, he knew his fear to be confirmed.

"_Cora." _

His muffled voice sounded strangled beneath his pillow and when he removed it, turning over to meet the amused expression of his wife, he guessed that his hair looked rather a mess as well.

"Yes?" she answered, smiling ever so slightly and raising one brow.

"Is there something you needed?" Running a hand through his hair only served to confirm that it was sticking out at several angles, and when he sat up more fully, the room began to spin most inconveniently.

"I brought you some peppermint water," she explained, holding out a small glass. "I thought you might be rather worse for wear, since you never did return to bed last night," she added.

Robert grunted noncommittally, taking the proffered glass after a pause. Sipping gingerly, he attempted sitting up once more before eyeing his wife curiously. "I thought you might be angry," he ventured, "and I certainly did not expect you to bring me anything."

Cora smiled softly—which only served to unnerve him more—and edged closer, taking the empty glass to put on his bedside table. "I'm not angry, darling; I might be concerned, but I suppose you're allowed to wake with a thick head every so often."

He chuckled softly, fixing her with a slight frown. "Am I? Because several months ago it was enough to set your teeth on edge."

Again, she smiled gently at him, moving closer until she sat beside him, and took his hand into her own. "Robert, must we always be looking over our shoulders into the past? I don't want you to think that I am angry with you. Because I am not."

"But, Cora—"

"Robert!"

Her exclamatory use of his name was a rarity but never failed to immediately silence him. Fixing his gaze on her eyes, noticing how brightly they shone in the morning, he refrained from saying anything further and instead waited for her to continue.

"Robert, please?"

She did not need to say any more than that; he already understood for what she pled. He knew, he knew deep down, that his behavior had grown increasingly childish over the last weeks and months. He knew he followed her like a puppy at times and never, ever raised his voice anymore. He knew that every action was tinged with the fear of upsetting her, with the fear that she might leave him—even though she had promised long before in the dark quiet of their room that she would stay by his side always. But in the deep, shaded recesses of his mind he had allowed doubt. And so he knew why she sat beside him, her eyes imploring him to stop. And so he nodded, murmured, _"I'm sorry," _and wrapped an arm around her small waist.

Her exhale at his silent admission is enough to confirm that it is what she needed. And so when she pressed her lips to his forehead, her own arms wrapping around his shoulders, he was not entirely surprised by the relief that practically radiated from her body.

"I love you," she murmured, her lips moving against his skin.

Humming in reply, Robert pulled her closer and closed his eyes, nuzzling his face to her neck to breathe in the delicate scent of her perfume. And he couldn't help but smile when a moment later Cora leaned down and pressed her lips softly to his, her kiss growing more intense after a long moment.

"Cora—" Robert groaned, leaning back against his pillows as his wife settled into his lap, her long skirt draping over his thighs. She said nothing and only smirked, her lips trailing warmly down his cheek and neck until they met the slight opening at the top of his nightshirt, pressing to the bare skin there. He heard her appreciative hum when he in turn brought his hands to rest on either side of her waist, his fingers dancing hesitantly over her light silk blouse as she dipped lower, unhooking his shirt button by button at a torturously slow pace.

If he had known his light touch affected her, Cora was sure that Robert would have no doubt about her feelings toward him—and this particular facet of their marriage—whatsoever. His strong hands tightening their hold on her waist was enough to drive her to distraction, and as she reached the very last button of his nightshirt, pressing her lips there ever so lightly, she relished the almost pained groan it elicited from her husband.

"_Cora…" _He repeated her name again, the iterance pulling another grin across her features as she finally looked up, taking in his disheveled appearance and the boyish delight on his face. He held one hand out, gesturing for her to come closer, and she did so happily, crawling back up his body until their faces met again, his lips capturing her own in a hungry caress.

They remained entwined on his small bed for some time, the rhythmic ticking of his bedside clock the only reminder of passing time. Cora's hands running through his hair and Robert's strong embrace were more than enough to melt everything else away, leaving just the two of them in their quiet moment. Until, as often was the case, Cora happened a glance at the very same clock that provided the background noise to their interlude, realizing that time had quite literally caught up with her.

Pulling back almost immediately, Cora tried not to look utterly horrified at the time, and the realization that nearly an hour had passed. She tried to smile at her husband's amused—and then confused—expression, offering him the only false explanation she could manage when he realized that she was in fact leaving him in such a state: that she needed to be downstairs to meet with Mrs. Hughes in but a few minutes. She tried—and failed—to not let his glum expression and sigh affect her, for she could not very well explain that she had flowers and food and various other Valentine paraphernalia being delivered to Eryholme that morning.

She tried to lean close and kiss him once more, in an attempt to assuage his hurt feelings, and then silently attempted to assuage her own when he turned his face, effectively avoiding her peace offering.

"Just go, if you must," he managed quietly, not meeting her contrite gaze.

And she nodded, though he did not look to see, before removing herself from the room, hoping desperately that all these plans were worth the doubt and concern she could already see taking root in her husband's mind.

* * *

><p>Robert wandered around the estate for longer than he usually did in the afternoons. There was already a harsh chill in the air and the disappearing sun did little to help the frozen ground and breeze. He hadn't intended to be out so late; it was meant to be a short day, with only two scheduled appointments around the estate. Those had passed without much to note, but time had gotten away from him after leaving Yew Tree Farm. He'd wandered down the old, overgrown path that connected the farm to one of the Downton fields. It had long ago fallen into disuse in favor of the road, and it had been nearly a decade since he last walked it.<p>

But it was not the path that held Robert later than he'd planned; it was his thoughts that bogged him down, made him amble rather than walk with purpose, and that forced him—more than once—to sit on an errant tree stump and gaze out on the horizon. She said that she wasn't angry, that there was nothing wrong. But then, yet again, when he finally began to feel as though things were really alright, that they were as close as they could be, she pulled away—quite literally this time.

And by the time he returned to the house, it seemed his thoughts were no less jumbled than they'd been that morning when he set out.

Unfortunately for Robert, though, his hope for a quiet evening by the fire and a scotch (a small one, at least) was dashed as soon as he crossed the threshold and was met by Carson. The butler, stoic as ever, handed him a note that explained in scrawled, vague detail of a problem at Eryholme that required immediate attention.

Trekking out to Eryholme was the last thing Robert wished to do so late in the afternoon, but he was also hesitant to let the issue—whatever it actually was—go since the house was now unattended except for a part-time groundskeeper. If anything were left too long it would likely grow into a larger and more expensive problem. And so he found himself in the motor once more, with plans to assess the issue and telephone Tom, should it require any sort of further help.

He never counted on the problem at Eryholme being his wife.

Robert looked on incredulously as the car pulled to a stop and the driver came round to open his door, leaving him face to face with a smiling Cora. She looked a bit harried, admittedly, but she was dressed in a beautiful red gown and wore some of her finest jewelry.

Before he could gather his thoughts, much less open his mouth, she took a few steps closer to him and kissed his cheek, murmuring, "happy Valentine's Day, my darling." And then, in an effort to ease the confusion written plainly across his face, she took him by the hand and led him inside.

It had been years since he was last inside Eryholme. But he was quite certain that it was not decorated in tiny paper hearts, red tablecloths and candles on his last visit. The lights were out almost entirely, and so the rooms were bathed in soft flickers that only highlighted his wife's beauty, and the way her eyes sparkled at him.

"Cora, what on Earth is this?" he asked, taking in the beautifully decorated foyer.

She only smiled again, shrugging slightly. "Your—well, our, Valentine's gift, Robert. You didn't think I'd forgotten, did you?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not. But I didn't expect you to commandeer an entire house either."

"Well, that shall teach you to stop underestimating me, won't it?"

Cora grinned, her words said in jest, but Robert took a step to close the distance between them and took her into his arms, hugging her close and kissing her neck. "I have never, in all our years of marriage—" he answered, after looking deeply into her eyes, "—underestimated the abilities of my beautiful wife."

He could have looked at her pleased smile all night, if not for the faint smoke wafting from the servant's door at the opposite end of the room. Releasing her from his grasp begrudgingly, he nodded toward the offending area and asked, "Cora, should we be concerned about that?"

She shook her head rather sheepishly, and held out her hand to lead him closer. "No, not exactly," she answered, sounding a bit less certain than he would like. "You see, " she explained, whilst walking them down the stairs and to the kitchens, "I thought it would be romantic to cook you dinner, something—one of the rare things, actually—that I have never done for you. But, well…" she trailed off as they reached the kitchen, nodding at several platters full of what once might have been food but looked rather charred.

"Well," Robert picked up almost without pause, "we have wine—" he nodded toward an uncorked bottle, "—and I have my beautiful wife."

"Do you mean that?" Cora laughed with relief, and moved to pick up two clean glasses from the counter.

"Of course, darling. Now, did you set the table or are we to eat down here?" he asked, eyes alight with mirth.

"Upstairs, in the drawing room," Cora replied, sauntering past him and throwing a quick look over her shoulder. Robert only grinned in reply, following after his wife.

He felt lighter than he had in weeks, and the worries of the afternoon were suddenly the furthest thing on his mind.

* * *

><p><em>AN: there will be a third and final chapter._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: HI GUYS. Remember that time I wrote a Valentine's Day story LIKE A YEAR AGO? I probably don't. This is endlessly embarrassing/awful of me, but I'm only now finishing up this little story. I am so very sorry that I let it go this long. But now that I have a little break from work, I'm trying to finish up some story loose ends before I move on to new stories! So, I hope you enjoy this long overdue foray into Valentine's happiness. _

* * *

><p>Robert knew that she was nervous by the way her fingers <em>tapped tapped tapped <em>against the wine glass in her hand. It was an old habit, ancient even, that used to drive his mother up the wall. Back when they were just Robert and Cora, before Lord and Lady and children and all the rest, during parties and dinners his wife could often be found off to the side of a room, clutching desperately at delicate glassware, her fingers drumming out nervous patterns as she tried to look as though she belonged.

But looking at her now, the crinkled skin around her eyes as they spoke softly, the softness of her skin, the way her smile grew crooked when he joked about this or that, he wondered if they'd ever really stopped being just Robert and Cora. When he looked at her, looked into her eyes, he saw his wife; he saw Cora. Once, not so long after they returned from America, he'd found her in their bedroom in front of the mirror with a look of vague dissatisfaction plain on her face. Brow puckered into a frown, she'd asked pointedly, "do I look older to you?" and he'd only chuckled, promising such a thing would be impossible, for she only grew more beautiful each and every day.

Now, though, he knew; Robert knew what the answer was. When he looked at her, he saw not the lines of age that had begun to settle around the gentle slopes and curves of her face; he only saw Cora. When he looked at her, he saw it all: he saw her standing at the altar, white orchids woven into her hair, as they promised their lives to one another. He saw her lying in their bed, clutching a tiny pink-faced baby that looked so like her as it squalled in her arms. He saw her running across the Scottish glens, following him along a holiday hunt, teasing him mercilessly when he missed yet another shot. He saw her quiet, ensconced in the library, holing grandchildren in her lap and murmuring stories of pirates and princesses. Looking at her just so, he saw it all—she did not look older, not to him; she looked like an amalgamation of their lives together; there was no separating the incarnations of the past from that of the present. They were and always would be just Robert and Cora.

He smiled at her again, pressing a hand to her cheek, and took another sip of his wine. Cora blushed. The tapping had stopped; the glass rested on the table before them. As their idle chatter stilled, Robert taking one more sip, he realized how quiet the house was. It had indeed been years since he was inside Eryholme. The picnic they'd taken a year or so before had succeeded only in parading his penchant for snobbishness, and he frowned to think on their conversations from that afternoon—he whining that Downton Place would be a silly name for an estate, and Cora insisting that there would be more than enough room for what really mattered. He hadn't known then, though he certainly should have, what exactly mattered most.

But here they were; though, it seemed like an age had passed. Perhaps it had. Perhaps they were indeed in a new chapter of life, if life truly had chapters. Perhaps that was only wishful thinking. Even still—there they both sat. And Cora smiled once more.

"You know," she hummed, voice low, "I thought you might be angry with me about all this."

"Angry?"

She nodded, glancing around the room and its ostentatious decoration: paper hearts of varying colors, great swaths of red fabric, a plate of pink frosted biscuits. "You were rather upset this morning when I left. And last night, too. I didn't want to lie to you, of course, but it would have ruined my surprise."

"I like surprises," Robert allowed, smiling for emphasis when Cora raised a brow in mock disbelief. "I like your surprises," he amended, shifting closer to her on the settee.

Cora grinned conspiratorially and leaned forward, pulling up the hem of her dress ever so slightly. She unbuckled each shoe in turn and kicked them off, hoisting her legs beneath her as she, too, moved a bit closer, answering, "I'm glad to hear it, after all these years." She leaned her head against his shoulder, then, and exhaled deeply.

Robert, reaching an arm round her back, his fingers resting against her shoulder, drew her into his embrace as they both settled back against the settee. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head, a soft floral scent filling his nose, and closed his eyes—allowing himself to relax.

Time passed quickly, as it always did when they were allowed a few moments of quiet togetherness. The room that had been bathed in the warm golds of sunset turned dark, and the candles flickered brightly against the windowpanes, dancing and jumping across the pale papered walls. It was easy like this, holding Cora in his arms, to forget all the past strife and pain; it was much simpler, much smoother, to think only of the present: to think of the way Cora's breath puffed out against his neck, and the warm weight of her against him. It made his belly tingle with the same nervousness and excitement of years long past—of years and times long forgotten in the daily bustle of their lives.

Again she hummed, content, sleepy, and he tightened his hold on her. Robert pressed another kiss to her temple, allowing his lips a lingering moment. _"Cora."_ He whispered her name, lips to skin, and felt her shift closer still.

"Hmm," came her reply—only half in question, half in sleepy confirmation that she was still awake, still present in his arms.

"Cora. Darling."

"Yes?" She looked up now, head tilting up from his shoulder, and rested her gaze on his questioning visage.

Robert paused, wondering how to phrase his words just so. A breath, first, and then he looked down, smiling softly. "—Are you happy, darling?"

Her eyes crinkled and a smile stretched widely across her face. "Yes, my darling. I'm so very happy."

She reached up then to stroke the rough of his cheek, leaning forward to press her lips to his. He tasted of wine and of cologne and just as Robert always tasted and felt and smelled. It was familiar and tender. It was the calm after a great storm. It was her heart, inextricably tied to his. It was love, just as it always had been.


End file.
